Yes, it was a good Christmas this year. Last year I was without a job and early in 2009 I was lucky enough to get me a job in Leicester. There have been ups and downs but I'm settling in and just starting to feel part of the team. That has made all the difference to our outlook this year, and that has been reflected in our approach to Christmas. More contact with family and friends, spending time with mum & dad, the boys, everybody. Going to the "works do". Last night we held a well attended party and everybody had fun. Tonight we are off to a wedding reception. Andy started back at work today, I have to work tomorrow, but Andy is doing 3 days this week. Then we all have a long weekend. Because of the weather Angie & John haven't got up here to Derby but I've spoken to them and Chris in America - all on the phone.
Here's hoping that this pretty good end to 2009 bodes well for 2010. Happy New Year to you all.
Tuesday 29 December 2009
Saturday 19 December 2009
The Future
Despite everything that the politicains and bankers have done to destroy this world of ours, there is still a future. This is evidenced by the fact that as I sit here now I have four weddings, two 21st birthday parties, two Christmas/New Year parties and a graduation to look forward to - all of them already firm dates in the calendar and taking us through to October 2010.
And while there may be no pay rises to look forward to we can look forward to loans ending and freeing up money that has previously been commited to servicing those loans. So we will be better placed to save and survive.
As for the youngsters, Andy is almost there with just one module left to get to achieve his BMW Senior Technician certificate. Mark is starting to look for suitable post-graduate positions for when he has completed his degree course and he's still on for a first class degree, so let us all hope he achieves it. Their girlfriends are both studying for thier respective qualifications and while job opportunities are thin on the ground right now they continue in the hope and belief that the good times will return and that things will pick up.
So yes, there is a future and we just have to live it as we find it and the hand it deals us.
And while there may be no pay rises to look forward to we can look forward to loans ending and freeing up money that has previously been commited to servicing those loans. So we will be better placed to save and survive.
As for the youngsters, Andy is almost there with just one module left to get to achieve his BMW Senior Technician certificate. Mark is starting to look for suitable post-graduate positions for when he has completed his degree course and he's still on for a first class degree, so let us all hope he achieves it. Their girlfriends are both studying for thier respective qualifications and while job opportunities are thin on the ground right now they continue in the hope and belief that the good times will return and that things will pick up.
So yes, there is a future and we just have to live it as we find it and the hand it deals us.
Friday 18 December 2009
My Rant - Bankers again...
The top plonker at Barclays Bank, John Varley, has said that the one off tax on bonus payments to bankers will damage the standing of the UK finance industry. He is concerned that the individuals likely to be affected will defect, leave to work in other countries - which just goes to prove how out of touch these overpaid ivory tower clad individauls are.
We trust these people to handle our money as trustees. Where they provide us with additional services they charge us hansomely for doing so. Then, while we go about our lives they grab our cash and "invest" it - their term for some very dubious forms of gambling, and when they get it wrong then we are the ones that suffer. How? With job losses, plundered pension funds, reduced interest (income) from savings and restricted credit (though that may possibly not be a totally bad outcome).
So why should we want to retain these plonkers - who created all the current economic problems? Why would we want to pay them even bigger bonuses for GAMBLING with our money? Why would we want to stop them going abroad? More to the point, why woud foreign banks want to emply our plonkers knowing that they have such an appalling track record?
If the bankers were in the position that many of us working outside of the banking/finance industry are in then they would (in my view) have reason to gripe. But they aren't. They are still expecting, and mostly getting, inflated, unwarranted and unearned salaries and bonuses. For years bankers have refused to aadvance investment funds to inject into British industry and IT development. They have been a driving force behind moving jobs off-shore. As taxpayers we have bailed out their industry and shored up their jobs, and now they want our sympahy!
Sorry - the sympathy cupboard is bare, and if they think they can do better elsewhere they go - I for one will be glad to see them go.
We trust these people to handle our money as trustees. Where they provide us with additional services they charge us hansomely for doing so. Then, while we go about our lives they grab our cash and "invest" it - their term for some very dubious forms of gambling, and when they get it wrong then we are the ones that suffer. How? With job losses, plundered pension funds, reduced interest (income) from savings and restricted credit (though that may possibly not be a totally bad outcome).
So why should we want to retain these plonkers - who created all the current economic problems? Why would we want to pay them even bigger bonuses for GAMBLING with our money? Why would we want to stop them going abroad? More to the point, why woud foreign banks want to emply our plonkers knowing that they have such an appalling track record?
If the bankers were in the position that many of us working outside of the banking/finance industry are in then they would (in my view) have reason to gripe. But they aren't. They are still expecting, and mostly getting, inflated, unwarranted and unearned salaries and bonuses. For years bankers have refused to aadvance investment funds to inject into British industry and IT development. They have been a driving force behind moving jobs off-shore. As taxpayers we have bailed out their industry and shored up their jobs, and now they want our sympahy!
Sorry - the sympathy cupboard is bare, and if they think they can do better elsewhere they go - I for one will be glad to see them go.
Respite
Last Saturday Dad was collected by privet ambulance and taken to the Helen Lay Centre for his final period of respite this year. Unlike previous visits - this was one he had decided he didn't want to have. Due to a mix-up, mother hadn't packed all his medication so I took Mum and the medication down to the centre on Sunday afternoon and Dad was much more receptive after having had a damned good sleep and plenty of food and rest. He was in excellent spirits and glad to see us, as jovial as he can be and chatty from start to finish.
Mother was upset by Dad's initial bad attitude towards the respite trip but aftr Sunday's visit she was much happier. I've spoken to her most evenings this week and she seems in good spirits and (weather permitting) he will be delivered back home this Saturday.
Mother was upset by Dad's initial bad attitude towards the respite trip but aftr Sunday's visit she was much happier. I've spoken to her most evenings this week and she seems in good spirits and (weather permitting) he will be delivered back home this Saturday.
Wednesday 9 December 2009
More news of Dad
Last night, just in from work and (fortunately) dinner consumed I got a phone call from Mum - the ambulance was already there to take Dad to A&E. I got down there just as the ambulance pulled out of the end of the road, so I slotted in behind and followed it to the Royal Derby - that was at about 20:20.
A&E was very, very busy. Once admitted we were shown to a bay to await a doctor. At 23:00 I took mum home before returning to stay with Dad until the doctor showed up. Now call me an old sceptic, but, the government has laid down guidelines / NHS targets that state everybody attending A&E should be seen inside 4 hours, so on the basis that he was checked in at 20:40 I was very unsurprised when a doctor mysteriously materialised at 00:30 and spent 10 minutes asking questions and checking Dad over. A plan of action was then laid down...
1. Replace the catheter that had come out
2. Take some blood samples and get them analysed
3. Based on the results of the blood tests, decide if he was to stay or return home - but beds are short and so were his chances of staying in.
So, at 01:20 I made Dad as comfortable as I could and left him in their care - by now I was falling asleep on my feet. I drove home via Mother to return the blister pack she'd taken in with her & Dad in the ambulance (just in case he was admitted) and to advise her that Dad would probably be coming back home but that she should get back to bed.
I got home and fell into bed around 02:00 and was dead to the world inside minutes and was only woken up by the morning alarm. I get to work this morning and make a call to Mum. Dad had been sent home as predicted, arriving a litle after 03:00. I spoke to Mum again at lunchtime and again this evening. Dad has some antibiotics for a urine infection and he's been seen by Dr Paul Moss and is much more comfortable than when laying on the trolley waiting in A&E.
The additional good news is that Social Services have contacted the Helen Lay Centre and Dad will still be allowed his week's respite starting Saturday so Mum gets some much needed extra rest.
I know that Angie has spoken to Mum & Dad tonight so hopefully the news is getting round the family fairly quickly.
A&E was very, very busy. Once admitted we were shown to a bay to await a doctor. At 23:00 I took mum home before returning to stay with Dad until the doctor showed up. Now call me an old sceptic, but, the government has laid down guidelines / NHS targets that state everybody attending A&E should be seen inside 4 hours, so on the basis that he was checked in at 20:40 I was very unsurprised when a doctor mysteriously materialised at 00:30 and spent 10 minutes asking questions and checking Dad over. A plan of action was then laid down...
1. Replace the catheter that had come out
2. Take some blood samples and get them analysed
3. Based on the results of the blood tests, decide if he was to stay or return home - but beds are short and so were his chances of staying in.
So, at 01:20 I made Dad as comfortable as I could and left him in their care - by now I was falling asleep on my feet. I drove home via Mother to return the blister pack she'd taken in with her & Dad in the ambulance (just in case he was admitted) and to advise her that Dad would probably be coming back home but that she should get back to bed.
I got home and fell into bed around 02:00 and was dead to the world inside minutes and was only woken up by the morning alarm. I get to work this morning and make a call to Mum. Dad had been sent home as predicted, arriving a litle after 03:00. I spoke to Mum again at lunchtime and again this evening. Dad has some antibiotics for a urine infection and he's been seen by Dr Paul Moss and is much more comfortable than when laying on the trolley waiting in A&E.
The additional good news is that Social Services have contacted the Helen Lay Centre and Dad will still be allowed his week's respite starting Saturday so Mum gets some much needed extra rest.
I know that Angie has spoken to Mum & Dad tonight so hopefully the news is getting round the family fairly quickly.
Saturday 5 December 2009
Visit to Dad in Ward 404
Today I picked Mother up just before 2pm and took her to the Royal Derby Hospital to visit Dad. He seems to be making progress and have told Mother that they will be sending him home on Monday. While I was there I phoned Angie on my mobile and after chatting with her I passed it to Dad so that they could chat. Having it on speaker-phone meant that Mum & I could join in the conversation too. We had intended to stay until 4pm but nurses came to tend to Dad at 3:50 so we left those few minutes early. On the way home in discussion with Mum it became obvious that she now believes Dad to be on seriously borrowed time but he has confounded us all for the last 2 years so who knows how long he'll keep going. The fact remains that the longer he keeps going the more of a problem caring for him will become.
As a foot note, Angie still hasn't been given a start date due to the need for her new employer to get a CRB check done as Angie will be working with children and people with special needs.
As a foot note, Angie still hasn't been given a start date due to the need for her new employer to get a CRB check done as Angie will be working with children and people with special needs.
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